'This Is Only the Beginning' — N7 Day Kicks Off With Video From the Cast Calling on Fans to Help Save Mass Effect

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   Mass Effect Cast Urges Fans to Save Franchise on Quieter N7 Day

   BioWare's Mass Effect cast and crew joined a video appeal on N7 Day asking fans to help save the franchise, arguing that the effort is only beginning. The message came 18 days after Electronic Arts shut BioWare and canceled the next Mass Effect project, according to GamesBeat. Voice actors also supported the #SaveMassEffect campaign, while a Canadian politician called for federal support for the developer. Despite the cast's intervention, the franchise's future remains unsettled and no rescue deal or reversal has been announced.

   Why it matters

   N7 Day traditionally offered fans a chance to mark the series with studio news, merchandise and community activity. Without BioWare running the celebration, the cast's appeal and fan campaign became the event's main focus. Kotaku reported that fans were pressing EA to change course, while IGN described the celebration as quieter than previous years. The campaign's reach has grown beyond the original announcement, but the supplied coverage does not show that EA has committed to reviving the franchise.

   What is confirmed

   • Mass Effect cast and crew released a video on N7 Day asking fans to help save the franchise.
   • Electronic Arts shut BioWare and canceled its next Mass Effect project 18 days before N7 Day.
   • The video's message was framed with the words "This Is Only the Beginning."
   • Mass Effect fans and voice actors rallied around the #SaveMassEffect campaign on N7 Day.
   • IGN reported that N7 Day was quieter this year because BioWare was no longer running the celebration.
   • A Canadian politician called for federal support for BioWare and criticized Electronic Arts.
   • The Mass Effect franchise's future remains unresolved in the supplied coverage.

   Still unconfirmed

   • BioWare co-founder said saving Mass Effect 5 could cost more than $200 million.
   • A Mass Effect N7 wearable LED helmet launched on the official BioWare gear store for N7 Day.
   • A new Mass Effect art collection was released during a difficult period for the franchise's fans.

   What to watch next

   • Any response from Electronic Arts to the #SaveMassEffect campaign and the cast's N7 Day appeal.
   • A reversal of the BioWare closure or a revived Mass Effect project.
   • Evidence of a financial commitment to continue the Mass Effect franchise, including any response to the reported cost of saving Mass Effect 5.
   Sources used for this update (11)

   1. www.ign.com — Mass Effect Cast Celebrates N7 Day With Video Asking Fans to ...
   2. IGN — 'This Is Only the Beginning' — N7 Day Kicks Off With Video From the Cast Calling on Fans to Help Save Mass Effect
   3. WN Hub — BioWare Co-Founder: Saving Mass Effect 5 could cost more than $200 million
   4. GameSpot — Mass Effect Is Getting A New Art Collection At A Difficult Time For Its Fans
   5. The Otaku's Study — Mass Effect N7 Wearable LED Helmet Launches For N7 Day On Official BioWare Gear Store
   6. Yahoo — Canadian politician tears into EA and calls for federal support of BioWare
   7. tech.yahoo.com — ‘Save Mass Effect’ movement enlists star-studded VA cast for N7 Day rallying cry, and I’m already getting chills
   8. kotaku.com — This Year’s N7 Day Spent Fighting For Mass Effect's Future
   9. www.vice.com — How ‘Mass Effect’ Fans Turned N7 Day Into ... - VICE
   10. usvinews.com — 'This Is Only the Beginning' — N7 Day Kicks Off With Video ...
   11. gamesbeat.com — On N7 Day, Mass Effect fans rallied around saving the franchise
   confidence 87%